Students

ECH 231 – Young Children's Language, Literature and Literacy

2017 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor/Lecturer/Tutor
Dr Emilia Djonov
Contact via via iLearn
X5B 276
Tutor
Rowena Lee
Contact via via iLearn
Tutor
Dr Catherine Martin
Contact via via iLearn
Tutor
Elizabeth Arrabalde
Contact via via iLearn
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ECHP122 or ((12cp at 100 level or above) and admission to BTeach(ECS))
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit focuses on children's language and literacy development as they move from home to prior-to-school settings and into the first years of school, and the ways it can be fostered through children's literature. It introduces students to the theory and practice of early reading and writing, multimodal and critical literacy development, and to research on the literacy experiences of children from diverse contexts and with different abilities. Students are given opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of the role of teachers in planning and evaluating experiences that support young children's literacy development within prior-to-school and early primary school settings.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Understanding of young children’s language and literacy development and the ways it can be enhanced through literature
  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

General Assessment Information

Full assignment instructions

This Unit Guide provides a brief description only of each required assessment piece. Full instructions are provided via the extended unit outline, which will be available on the iLearn site from the Day 1 of Session 2.

Assignment expectations

In order to achieve a passing grade, it is expected that all assignments are completed, and that all assignments demonstrate a serious attempt to address the assignment task.

Please follow these guidelines when you submit each assignment:

  • Allow a left and right-hand margin of at least 2cm in all assignments.
  • Please type all assignments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
  • All assessments must be submitted through Turnitin in .doc or .pdf format for submission.
  • It is the onus of the student to ensure that all assessments are successfully submitted through Turnitin.
  • Faculty assignment cover sheets are NOT required.

Draft Submissions & Turnitin Originality Reports

  • Students may use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to upload a draft copy of each assessment to Turnitin at least one week prior to the due date to obtain an Originality Report.
  • The Originality Report provides students with a similarity index that may indicate if plagiarism has occurred. Students will be able to make amendments to their drafts prior to their final submission on the due date.
  • Generally, one Originality Report is generated every 24 hours up to the due date.

When preparing your assignments, it is essential that:

  • Students regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission,
  • Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no assessment will be accepted after the date that the assessment has been returned to other students.
  • If an assessment is considered to be below passing standard, another staff member on the unit will provide a second opinion. No failed assessment may be re-submitted.

Final Submissions

  • Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.
  • Late submissions due to last minute technical difficulties may incur a lateness penalty.

Grading

  • No failed assessment may be re-submitted.
  • Assignment return will usually be 3-4 weeks after the submission due date for all students who have submitted their assignment by that date. Please allow at least 3 weeks before contacting your unit convenor/lecturer/tutor to ask when results will be released. 

Assignment extensions and late penalties

Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ at https://ask.mq.edu.au as a "Disruption to Studies" request before the submission date. Students who experience a disruption to their studies through ill-health or misadventure are able to apply for this request. Extensions can only be granted by the Unit Convenor (and in some cases by Faculty Student Services) provided it is aligned with the Disruption to Studies Policy. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.

In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, and currently available at:

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

Late submissions without extension will receive a penalty of 5% reduction of the total possible mark for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). You are reminded that submitting even just 1 day late could be the difference between passing and failing a unit. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed. No assessable work will be accepted after the return/release of marked work on the same topic. If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of unavoidable disruption, an alternative topic may be set. 

Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.

It is important to note:

  • Do NOT contact your unit convener about extensions. Please submit ALL extension and special consideration requests through https://ask.mq.edu.au.
  • Emails are not appropriate means of extension requests. Your unit convener will not respond to extension requests via emails or iLearn Dialogues.
  • It is essential that you plan ahead and organise your study time effectively. Poor time management is not grounds for an extension.

Academic Honesty Guidelines: 

All assignments should cite and provide full bibliographical details of all material that you have used to inform or support your ideas. At the Department of Educational Studies, students are required to use the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing procedures. Full details about how to cite and reference correctly can be found in Perrin (2015) and in the Academic Honesty Handbook

The following guide can be purchased from the Co-op Bookshop. This is a required text: Perrin, R. (2015). Pocket guide to APA style (5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Family and Children’s Records at Department of Educational Studies (Early Childhood)

Some assessment tasks require students to submit records about families and about children and their learning. It is expected that the records submitted are original, authentic, adheres to ethical practices and is the work of the student. Issues with the authenticity of such records will be investigated for possible forgery. Please note that submitted records can only be used once for assessment purposes.

Confidentiality: Students must respect the need for sensitivity and confidentially and ensure that privacy obligations are met. There should be nothing in assessment submissions that identifies a centre or school. Use only the first name for children, families and staff. Do not record details that enable identification of the site, and of the adults or children. 

Eligibility for a Passing Grade in the Unit

In order to receive a passing grade in this unit, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Both assessment tasks must be submitted.
  • Receive an adequate total mark for the unit. In order to receive a grade of Pass, your total mark must be at least 50/100.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assignment 1 50% No 2 October 2017
Assignment 2 50% No 13 November 2017

Assignment 1

Due: 2 October 2017
Weighting: 50%

 Planned literacy experience for birth-to-4-year-olds, based on a literacy profile of a focus child


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding of young children’s language and literacy development and the ways it can be enhanced through literature
  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assignment 2

Due: 13 November 2017
Weighting: 50%

Literacy planning for students in the early grades of primary school (5-to-8-year olds)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding of young children’s language and literacy development and the ways it can be enhanced through literature
  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Delivery and Resources

STUDY COMMITMENT

As this is a 3 credit point unit, it is estimated that students will need to spend an average  of 9 hours a week over a 15 week semester (this includes the university recess), i.e. 135 hours per semester, working on this unit to achieve a passing grade. This includes accessing the unit’s iLearn website at least twice a week and participating in online discussions, attending tutorials and on-campus sessions, attending and/or listening to lectures, reading and studying, and working on assignments. 

PRINCIPAL REQUIREMENTS

Students are required to:

  • complete and submit both assignments
  • attend/listen to the lecture/s scheduled for each teaching week for this unit [Note that there are both live and pre-recorded lectures in this unit.]
  • complete the weekly readings each teaching week, prior to the lecture and tutorials that week
  • attend tutorials: 
    • Internal students are expected to prepare for, attend and participate in at least 80% of the 10 x 1.5hr tutorials. 
    • External students are expected to prepare for, attend and participate in the compulsory on-campus session on the 20th & 21st of September 2017 (9am to 5pm).

STUDY RESOURCES

Required Readings and Other Resources

There is one textbook for the unit, which is available from the Macquarie Co-op Bookshop on campus.  The details are:

Fellowes, J. & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, literacy and early childhood education (2nd edn). South Melbourne: Oxford. ISBN: 9780195521177

(Please note: You can also use the first edition of this book if you already own it).

There are also two required curriculum documents:

1.    Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2009). Belonging, being, becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Barton, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from: http://foi.deewr.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf

 

2.    NSW Board of Studies. (2012). English K-10 Syllabus.  Sydney: NSW Board of Studies. Retrieved from: http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/english/english-k10/

There are also required and recommended readings and online resources that will be available through the library’s e-reserve collection and/or the unit’s iLearn website. All required and recommended readings are listed in the complete ECH231 unit outline, which is available through the ECH231 iLearn site. 

Unit website

There is a website for this unit. Access to this unit is available online through iLearn, at ilearn.mq.edu.au .   You will need to login using your Macquarie ID.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective

Assessment task

  • Assignment 2

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment task

  • Assignment 2

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding of young children’s language and literacy development and the ways it can be enhanced through literature
  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding of young children’s language and literacy development and the ways it can be enhanced through literature
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Ability to design, engage in and critically evaluate rich and developmentally appropriate literacy experiences for young children prior-to-school and into the first years of primary school, and to integrate children’s literature in these experiences
  • Knowledge of children’s early reading and writing developmental processes and ability to develop and apply strategies for supporting and evaluating these processes from a broad and research-informed multiliteracies perspective

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment 1
  • Assignment 2

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Familiarity with the ways early literacy development is integrated in a continuum of learning in pedagogic practices in prior-to-school and school settings and related curriculum documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework, the NSW K-6 English Syllabus, and National Curriculum Documents
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment task

  • Assignment 2

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Awareness of the influence of children's early oral language and literacy experiences on access and equity in early educational settings (birth-8) and on children’s transition to school
  • Understanding the important role adults and partnerships between home and educational settings play in young children’s language and literacy development
  • Growing understanding of and ability to support the language and literacy development of children from diverse backgrounds, including children learning English as an additional language (EAL), children from families with different socio-economic status, and children with special learning and literacy needs

Assessment task

  • Assignment 2